Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Kabuki Brushes Collection: Becca, Body Shop, Too Faced and Tokidoki

Within my brush collection, my kabuki brushes occupy a special place. These petite wonders are indispensable for producing a seamless finish with powder foundations or face powders. The Body Shop's kabuki brushes were my first acquisitions around two or three years ago, when the Body Shop first released its loose mineral makeup line. Made of cruelty-free synthetic fibres, these gently-rounded brushes feel incredibly silky against the skin and have never shed through countless washings. Although they are no longer listed on the Body Shop's website, the Extra Virgin Minerals Loose Powder Foundation Brush looks very similar to the larger kabuki brush. The L'Occitane kabuki (€15.50) is very similar in size and shape to the larger Body Shop kabuki brush. I purchased this in France recently where it is usually displayed alongside the Pivoine Flora makeup collection. There is also a slightly smaller version retailing at €13. This is slightly stiffer than the Body Shop version (as in the bristles don't bend as much when you brush them against your palm) and it does shed occasionally. The Becca Retractable Kabuki Brush #63 (£34) is the brush that I use most frequently as I keep it in my bag for touch-ups on the go, usually with Ettusais Quick Fix Powder or Paul & Joe Pressed Powder. It is the perfect size, lightweight but not flimsy. I started using this after my Hourglass Retractable Foundation Brush fell apart with the brush portion detaching completely from the metal case. I purchased this in Fenwick in London along with the Becca Deluxe Travel Toiletry Bag. In Singapore, it is available on Luxola.com for S$74. The Too Faced Retractable Bronze-buki Brush (S$52) is my latest acquisition from Sephora in Singapore. While the shiny pink metal packaging is cute, the fibres are not as densely packed as the Becca kabuki. Like the Becca kabuki, this has a metal cuff that slides up to protect the bristles from being bent when you cap it. The Tokidoki Kabuki Brush (US$28) was another brush that I picked up because of the unique design and the eye-catching white and bright purple bristles. BeautyOshaberi was just telling me about how much she likes this as it is so soft. I haven't actually used it as I was surprised by how large it turned out to be in real life, so it's just been sitting in my drawer for the past year. It is indeed very soft and caresses the skin like a dream. If you are on a budget, I think the Body Shop kabuki brush offers excellent quality and performance for a reasonable price (plus the Body Shop frequently has discounts). If you are looking for a travel-friendly option and can afford to splurge, the Becca kabuki brush is a classy and elegant option.

I totally agree about the quality of the TBS kabukis - I have a couple of those and they've never shed despite numerous washings n daily use. I use the smaller one to apply cream blush! V smooth and not patchy application. I like how the Too Faced retractable kabuki looks!

hi,The EA face powder brush covers a much bigger surface than the Body Shop kabuki brushes. I prefer the Body Shop kabuki brushes as they give a more seamless finish and are easier to control. The EA powder brush gives a more sheer application.

Hi Haru! I have the tokidoki brush as well, and was wondering if you have any problems with it after washing the brush. I realized that mine will have "bleeding" on the white bristles, and no matter how thoroughly I wash it, it will have orange-ish streaks bleeding from the ferrule. Tried different brush cleaners and shampoos. Hope you can advise! I usually dry my brush with the bristles facing down using the brush guard. Thanks :)

hi Miss MH,I actually haven't used the Tokidoki kabuki brush yet as I have other kabuki brushes that work well for me like the Body Shop ones. I haven't encountered any bleeding problems with the other Tokidoki brushes that I own and use regularly (the smaller eyeshadow brushes). Sorry I can't be of much help.